The start to DW was fairly average along the canal to the 1st portage at Wooton Rivers.
It was a bit weedy, a cold head wind and all the normal features of Easter weekend on the Kennet and Avon Canal. The support crews arrived at the scheduled places and the paddlers made good time on their planned schedule. The usual feeding and other support tasks happened when needed.
Abbie helped her mum sort out her clothing after the 14.8 miles.
It got dark just before leaving the canal and arriving at Dreadnaught Reach near Reading. Caroline and Alison had made better time than expected. The feeding and addition of clothes went smoothly.
Having Dave and Taal pick up the "difficult to reach" Sonning Lock made the support a little more complete than is sometimes possible, so everything was looking good for the run down the Thames, especially as there was still strong flow.
Don't ever relax and think how well it all seems to be going ... they were late at Marsh lock ... from 20 minutes up on schedule, to 15 minutes down is the kind of late that brings a big tight knot to the stomach of supporters ...
Much later, at Boulters Lock a supporter for another crew doing their first DW asked, "So how are your crew doing?"
Hmmm better sound optimistic, but non-committal.
"Yeah OK! Yours?"
Phew changed the subject!
Well it would have taken too long to explain the detail to someone who hasn't been around DW for a few years and there really wasn't the time. We both had our jobs to do.
Standing there in the dark, straining my eyes to spot them, with that big knot of worry still in my stomach, it hit me!
"
OK? What was I talking about
OK?" They were doing far better than OK! They were amazing!
How can you describe it when the two paddlers you are supporting have been cold all day despite more layers of clothing than most of us possess; have been very sick, probably due to the disgusting things they were encouraged to eat; have endured the head wind, sub-zero temperatures and strong currents all DW paddlers had faced this weekend; are out there on the dark, swirly river having swum in the Thames in the dark ...?
.... Oh yes! Better not mention, that in the process of avoiding another boat being swept across the river by the incoming weir stream just below the islands at Sonning, "my crew" had swum! Thanks to Howard and Warren (crew 345) two passing canoe paddlers, who came to their aid, they were soon on their way to be met by us at Marsh Lock ... late! Did they pack in after the swim? Did they even suggest it? No! A bit of a delay for few more clothes and slightly lower seats saw them on their way with the determination that had got them that far. "My crew" were doing OK.
"Your crew .../my crew ...," now those are strange things to say! They've done the punishing training. They are out in conditions most people would consider part of a nightmare and despite setbacks that would have added many people's names to the "retired" list in the results, are carrying on at the same pace they started. No, I am most definitely "their support." They are most definitely better than OK ... and this was by no means just another DW!
Did I mention the rudder? No? That broke at Shepperton after 97.3 miles. It needed a cup of coffee from an official to unfreeze the wingnut that released the remains of old one, but Dave had still changed it for the spare one from the boat it in less than 5 minutes.
After a minor confusion over GMT/BST (why do cars and phones have to automatically update?) they sprinted from East Molesy to Teddington and caught the tide only 41 minutes later than planned. That was after swimming, changing seats, adding clothes, stopping to be sick, changing a rudder, coping with icy portages, having a thick layer of ice on the deck ... they are amazing ...
... and they crossed the finish line in 24 hours 33 minutes 12 seconds. The time doesn't tell the story, the words don't and nor do the pictures.
Thanks to Ollie Harding for this picture just before the finish line
Let's just say that I will be honoured to be allowed to support them should they think of doing it again.
